CMS finalized its physician fee schedule that will go into effect Jan. 1.
Four things for dentists to know:
1. CMS finalized payments for certain dental services linked to head and neck cancer treatments.
2. Under the new finalized payments, dentists can receive reimbursements under Medicare Part A and Part B for comprehensive examinations performed before medically necessary services. They can also be paid for services performed to eliminate an infection either before or simultaneously with treatment services, as well as to address complications after radiation, chemotherapy or surgery as part of head and neck cancer treatment.
3. CMS will also pay for services linked to other covered services as part of cancer treatments. These include dental services performed before or during chemotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and antiresorptive therapy.
4. CMS said it will begin accepting public submission in February to consider "potentially analogous clinical scenarios" under which payments could be made for dental services performed under Medicare.